Cunnie Rabbit, Mr. Spider and the Other Beef: West African Folk Tales | Annotated Tale

COMPLETE! Entered into SurLaLune Database in October 2018 with all known ATU Classifications.



Mr Leopard Fools the Other Animals

"NOW two animal get dis play, dah Lepped en all dem beef. All dem beef bin meet up fo' make play one evenin' tem w'en dem moon duh shine. Dey gadder 'roun de place, dey tie fench, dey buil' leelee ho'se inside de fench. De nex' evenin' tem dey play, dey beat de drum, dey dance all. Now ole Mr. Lepped, hangry duh ketch um, so he come do cunnie. Because he wan' fo' ketch dem beef fo' make he yeat dem, he lay down, he lay down flat; he no die, he do cunnie, he shut he yi, he make altogedder lek die.

               "One of Lepped he pickin he come out play. W'en he run inside ho'se he look heen daddy, he 'fraid fo' true, he come close um leelee bit, he ax um, say:

               "'Daddy, wey t'ing do yo'?'

               "He no get answer; he pull one big cry, he run tell de odder pickin say:

               "'Eh! M-o-nay! We daddy done die, we no get daddy to-day.'

               "Dey all duh cry, duh cry; dey run wid cry to all dem beef fo' say:

               "'We daddy done die, make yo' mus' come cry fo' um.'

               "Well, all dem beef dey come 'roun' um, dey sorry, dey gadder fo' cry fo' Lepped wey (which) die. Dey begin fo' make noise, dey cry lek fo' die pusson. Fus' Cunnie Rabbit come, he look Lepped, he look um long tem, he say:

               "'Dis yeah beef he no die, he jus' duh do cunnie.'

               "So he grap (get up), he go sit down yandah fo' run one tem, he say:

               "'Die pusson nebber blow (breathe).'

               "Well, Lepped jus' duh blow leelee, leelee, w'en dem beef no take notice.

               "W'en Cunnie Rabbit say die pusson nebber blow, dem beef say:

               "'Cunnie Rabbit, yo' nar fool!'

               "He answer um, say: 'All ret, I fool.'

               "Den he go sit down to de las' part yandah, so he kin fus' run go w'en Lepped go grap (get up) fo' ketch dem beef. Well, dem beef wey say Cunnie Rabbit fool, dey come sit down close Lepped, dey all duh cry, duh cry.

               "Bimeby Lepped grap fo' ketch, en all dem beef wey bin hearee wey Cunnie Rabbit talk, dey all run.

               "Well, dem beef wey say Cunnie Rabbit fool, Lepped ketch um all.

               "'Pon dem beef Lepped en he pickin lib tay (till) hangry tem done."

               Gondomah gained confidence as the story proceeded, and was soon speaking with a freedom and earnestness that would have done even Sobah credit. Mr. Leopard had found a new champion, and was growing in favor with an emotional audience, that was ready to applaud any form of cunning that proved successful. Konah, however, was much gratified to note that "Cunnie Rabbit" had not been deceived.

Bibliographic Information

Tale Title: Mr Leopard Fools the Other Animals
Tale Author/Editor: Cronise, Florence M. & Ward, Henry W.
Book Title: Cunnie Rabbit, Mr. Spider and the Other Beef: West African Folk Tales
Book Author/Editor: Cronise, Florence M. & Ward, Henry W.
Publisher: E. P. Dutton & Co.
Publication City: New York
Year of Publication: 1903
Country of Origin: Sierra Leone
Classification: unclassified








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